This recipe is Jeremy Davenport's contribution to WWOZ's cookbook, That Sounds Good. "When I was a kid, my grandmother and my mom made this cake for me. Over the years, I've learned the recipe myself, and it's really good." If you've never made chocolate cake from scratch, this is great, straightforward recipe.

Cake
2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1/2 cup vegetable oil
5 tablespoons unsweetened baking cocoa
1 cup water
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Frosting
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
7 tablespoons milk
5 tablespoons unsweetened baking cocoa
3-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

For the cake, measure the flour and sugar in a mixing bowl; set aside. Combine the butter, oil, cocoa, and water in a sauce pan. Bring to a boil, then let it cool. Pour over the flour and sugar and mix well. Add the buttermilk, eggs, baking soda, and vanilla. Beat thoroughly. Pour into a greased sheet cake pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes.

Make the frosting 5 minutes before the cake is done. Heat the butter, milk, and cocoa to a boil in a saucepan. Add the confectioners' sugar. Beat until smooth. Frost the cake while it's hot.

--Jeremy Davenport